Children's Home run by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in Blackburn with Darwen

Inspection report children’s home: SC360599 1 SC360599 Registered provider: Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run and managed by the local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people under a short-break arrangement who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. There is a suitably qualified manager in post who was registered with Ofsted on 11 July 2007.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 25 September 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC360599 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/09/2017 Full Good 29/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 05/12/2016 Full Outstanding 15/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC360599 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (2)(c)) In particular, the manager needs to ensure that all staff receive training in relation to the following areas: self-harm, the use of ligature cutters, the effects of alcohol and domestic abuse. This is in order that the staff are equipped to support young people who may have experienced any of these issues. 13/03/2019

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Recommendations

 Supervision of staff practice should ensure that individual adults in the home are engaged in the safeguarding culture of the home, so they understand what they would need to do if they found other staff misusing or abusing their position to the detriment of the safety of a child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.14)  Records must be kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home (Regulation 36 (schedule 3(14)). This information should be shared with the placing authority and, where appropriate, with the child’s parents. Evaluation of missing incidents should be undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff or to record and retain evidence of what worked well. This evaluation should inform the review of the quality of care (see paragraph 15.2). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the

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Recommendations

quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.31)  Homes set up for emergency placements as indicated and detailed in their Statement of Purpose will require sufficient staff trained and skilled in the Inspection report children’s home: SC360599 4 admission and care of children, where their full background may not be known. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.6)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people who attend this short-break service make progress. The young people receive well-planned, individualised care. Young people enjoy accessing the service and have good-quality, supportive relationships with staff. The young people receive direct work, and this helps them in their relationships with their families and friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents and young people speak positively about the support that they receive from the short-breaks service. One dad said, ‘This is a fantastic service. I can’t speak highly enough about the support we have received.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have made progress in their relationships with their families. The short- break stays serve to provide a breathing space for young people and their families. Staff have supported one young person to go back to school by going on the bus with her. This has improved school attendance for her.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide a warm, nurturing environment for young people. Staff are skilled at quickly building up positive relationships with young people. Children’s views are listened to. One young person said, ‘This is like a second home. The staff have listened to me and helped me to chill out more.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are consulted about how they want to spend their time when they come in for short breaks and staff link activities to young people’s individual needs. There are good examples of progress in this area. One young person who was reluctant to go out was encouraged to go climbing up Tor Hill. These experiences support young people’s confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are supported to enjoy a wide range of interests and activities. Staff take young people to Blackpool and other places of interest, such as Laser Quest. The staff also run football groups and girls’ groups. These groups are well attended by the young people. Feedback received was positive about how much the young people had enjoyed taking part in them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some of the transitions in and out of the home have been unplanned. This is due to the home receiving emergency placements. However, more recently, a young person has received a well-planned move on to her longer-term placement. Staff support young people to move on from the home when necessary by continuing to offer outreach support. Inspection report children’s home: SC360599 5

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff know the young people well and act to ensure that they are safe when they come and stay in the home. Staff understand the needs of the young people living in the home. Risks are assessed and understood. Staff follow risk assessments. Staff are clear about what actions to take to manage the young people’s known risks.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff respond to self-harm incidents and they ensure that young people receive the appropriate medical attention in line with their plans. Staff respond when young people go missing from the home. They follow the young people and follow internal procedures to ensure that young people are safe. Missing from care records lack evaluation by the manager and a recommendation has been made to address this.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff keep a good record of the work that they complete with young people to keep themselves safe. There is evidence that staff spend time with young people helping them to understand the risks associated with internet safety, child sexual exploitation and county lines.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The majority of the young people staying at the home do so under short breaks. The staff know these young people well and know their triggers. These young people choose to be in the home and they behave positively. There has been a low number of physical interventions since the last inspection. When physical interventions are used, they are necessary and proportionate.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff have received safeguarding training. However, the manager needs to ensure that staff’s understanding of this is considered during supervision sessions. During the inspection, it was noted that not all staff knew how to respond if a young person made an allegation about a member of staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a permanent and suitably qualified registered manager in post. The manager is passionate about the service that she and her team provide to the young people accessing their service. The manager is child-centred in her approach and has a good understanding of the progress that young people make in the home. Plans for young people on short breaks are reviewed and progress is measured.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff spoken to feel supported by the manager and her deputy. All staff have received mandatory training. Some staff have received training specific to the needs of the young people they care for. The manager needs to ensure that all staff receive training in relation to the following areas: self-harm, the use of ligature cutters, the effects of alcohol and domestic abuse. This will ensure that all the staff are equipped to support young people’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is aware of the impact that the emergency placements have had upon the running of the short-breaks service. The manager and staff team have learned from this and developed an action plan. However, all staff should have the skills and knowledge to Inspection report children’s home: SC360599 6 be able to care for any young person placed in the home. A recommendation has been made to address this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals are complimentary about the manager and staff in the home. Multi-agency working is excellent. This ensures that young people are receiving the appropriate level of care and support. The manager will, when needed, challenge other professionals about plans for young people in her home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager promotes diversity. Staff take young people to visit different places of worship. Themed evenings also take place and young people sample foods from different cultures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people are consulted about their views and activities are based on their wishes and feelings. This is a real strength of this service. The young people’s views are integral to the service. This was evident throughout the inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: SC360599 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Town Hall, King William Street, Blackburn BB1 7DY

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Inspectors

Jenny Brady: social care inspector Sarah Billett: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC360599 8 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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